Council's Legislative Leader Sue For Unity, Peace

 

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

Hon Michael Okonji, House Leader, Oshimili South LGA Legislative Arm, called for unity, peace and collaborative working relationship amongst law makers.

He made the call today, Thursday, during the house's legislative session.

Hon Okonji congratulated all members over their victory at the polls and successful inauguration.

To the house's legislative principal officers, he also thanked them over their victorious emergence. 

He also ONLINEthem to work towards effective and productive legislative business.

We are one family, let us work together, since, we are from one political party, we have to work together as one family, Hon Okonji emphasised.

The task before us now is to work towards a greater and progressive legislative session and write our names on gold.

We must let love lead and work harmoniously and maintain sound working relationship.

Please, let us avoid unnecessary rancour and rumours, so that we can leave a better legacy behind us, Hon Okonji charged his fellow law makers.

The leader of the house called for invitation and introduction of all legislative staff of the council.

Mrs Chukwuji Edith, clerk of the house, led the introduction of all legislative staff present, after the law makers introduced themselves individually to all in the chambers. 

Thereafter, Hon Okonji, welcome all to 2021 legislative session and called for harmonious working relationship.

In the absence of no other legislative business before the  assembly, the majority leader, Hon Ogbotobo Charles Collins, representing ward nine, moved a motion for adjournment of next seating to next week Tuesday.

Hon Nwabuoku Iloba Rowland, representing ward ten, seconded the motion.

HON. OBI KELVIN EZENYILI'S PROMISES TO OSHIMILI SOUTH LGA

 

There is a new political czar in Oshimili South LGA, he was sworn into office yesterday by the state governor, Gov Ifeanyi Okowa. 

At a post swearing in reception organized in his honour within the council's premises, Hon Obi Kelvin Ezenyili, appreciated all stakeholders who contributed one way or the other at making the just concluded electoral process both hitch-free, successful and victorious.

Though, he affirmed that the victory he secured is a victory for his political party leaders, his political party, even the People's Democratic Party (PDP), for all contestants and candidates, he summed it up in that his victory is a 'victory for all'.

Listing his post campaign cum election promises for Oshimili South LGA, which he anchored on a four point agenda, Hon Ezenyili, recalled the great importance his administration places on the need to regard and respect traditional authorities and institutions.

He also called upon all stakeholders to close ranks, work together towards advancement of Oshimili South LGA, her people and communities.

Unveiling his administration's plans of actions around the four point agenda, Hon Obi Kelvin Ezenyili, emphasised areas of priority around it.

On peace and security, his administration will articulate a comprehensive peace building architecture that will contribute into the state's peace building drive and sustainable development plans.

He also emphasized that this architecture will partner with the state government, traditional authorities/institutions, vigilante groups and other interest groups.

There is great need for information gathering, sharing and intelligence, we will strengthen the traditional justice system in all communities within our council area, Hon Ezenyili said.

Emphasizing areas of priority on youth and women empowerment, the new council chairman said "empowerment of youth and women will be at the center of all our programs, mission and projects, to ensure that they are seen, present and represented.

On environmental sanitation and sustainability, his points of emphasis unveiled his serious commitment.

We will ensure environmental sustainability, commit to effective management of the rivers around our council area, to ensure sustainable ways of managing waste.

We will also promote high level of sanitation and recycling system within the LGA.

My administration will work with the Delta State Waste Management Board and other waste management agencies in the state at making sanitation a priority, so that waste are managed sustainably.

For Hon Ezenyili, health is a human right issue for his administration in Oshimili South LGA, hence, his deepened commitment.

We will deliberate and partner with federal and state primary healthcare agencies, to promote an effective and efficient healthcare service delivery system in Oshimili South LGA. 

My administration will liaise with Delta State Ministry of health at extending primary healthcare services to our communities, Hon Ezenyili promised.

To make these above four point agenda possible, Hon Obi Kelvin Ezenyili, promised to create within the next couple of days and weeks,  some high profiled groups, think tanks and committees, that will help his administration come up with progressive, proactive, result driven approaches and means at achieving his administration's four point agenda. 

We will create the following organs to help us achieve our four point agenda, we will create; leaders governing council, an economic team, youth thinks tank, platform for eminent industrialists and a legal group, he said.

He promised Oshimili South LGA stakeholders that his administration will usher in a 'New Dawn' in grassroot governance and administration, where inclusive governance and equality will reign supreme.

Hon Ezenyili also pointed out other political, governance and democratic ideals, he believe will be the hallmark of his leadership. 

Developmental government, gender equality, inclusive governance, dealing with youth's needs, quality service delivery and sustainable management of resources, were ideals, the new council chairman believed can positively and progressively strengthen grassroot governance system.

In conclusion, Hon Ezenyili Kelvin Obi, as a youth mentioned an ideal youth position on grassroot governance system.

As youths, we are not just numbers, we are the realities of young people at grassroot governance, he concluded.

UTQEN: Delta State Chapter Refutes National Body's Allegations

 

* Calls Upon Ministry Of Labour To Intervene, To Prevent Further Crisis

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

The Delta state chapter, Union of Tipper & Quarry Employers of Nigeria (UTQEN) has in strong terms refuted all recent allegations of the National body against them as was published in an online media platform.

Speaking exclusively to Asaba Post News Wire Online, after their monthly meeting, Comrade Dumebi Eluaka, UTQEN's Delta State Chairman, in company of his state and local government area chapter executives, shared their own side of the story.

The union's national president, Comrade Aliu Mayungbe, had recently gone online to accuse the state chapter on various charges of fraud, irregularities, tenure elongation and other unprintable charges.

Comrade Eluaka in this exclusive media chat shared with our reporter his views and corrected some perceived wrong impressions made by the union's national president to online media practioners.

Speaking on tenure elongation, Comrade Eluaka accepted that his first term in office had elapsed, but as enshrined in the union's constitution, he maintained that he is entitled to a second term, but noted that the union's national president is handling this matter in a grossly unconstitutional manner.

For this reason, Comrade Eluaka is calling upon the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, to intervention into the lingering issues and crisis between the union's national body and the Delta State Chapter of the union, to avoid further and deeper crisis, or better still close down the union completely nation wide, to avoid unpalatable stories springing up here and there in the state chapter.

Comrade Eluaka said how the national president is going about issues concerning his term in office is completely wrong and unconstitutional.

According to our union's constitution, if a state chairman's term is over, a caretaker committee will be appointed from the leadership of all local government area chapters, who will manage the affairs of the state chapter till elections are conducted for new state executives to emerge.

Bringing in men and women, who are not qualified union members to disrupt the union's affairs in Delta State is grossly unacceptable.

UTQEN is open only to business men and women, who own tippers or quarry sites, it is not a union for contractors, native doctors or rascals Comrade Eluaka pointed out.

To this end, he pointed out that the national president is not fit and proper to be in the union, were it not that his tribesmen, who dominated the union, who imposed him into the union, if not, how can a mere tailor become the national president of owners of tippers and quarry site owners.

The national president does not owe any tipper nor a quarry site, even in his local government area, there are no quarry activities going on there, Comrade Eluaka told our reporter.

He noted that were it not for the professional intervention of  Nigerian Police and that of Department of State Security (DSS), the union in Delta State would had witnessed a lot of negative records and stories, he also appreciated the security agencies for their quick and professional intervention in the union's state chapter.

Comrade Eluaka also called upon all union members to remain calm, maintain peace as this lingering matter is already before an industrial court as counter action will amount to contempt of court actions.

Reacting to issues of fraud laid against the state chapter, Comrade Eluaka said, its the national president who is most fraudulent with the points below.

Constitutionally, its office of the elected general secretary, and manned by Hon Comrade Benjamin Okonkwo, who is supposed to sell and issue out the union's tickets, emblems and other official documents to state chapters upon payment into the union's national bank account, but here reverse is the case.

The national president issues these items personally and uses personal bank account instead of the national body's bank account to collect money from us.

It was after I had paid the sum of N840,000 into one personal bank account belonging to one Abdulmumn Ibrahim at Zenith Bank with bank account number 2001213061, I asked him, why giving us a private bank account, there after, he gave me the national body's bank account at zenith bank with bank number 1014635031, and stated that he is sorry.

For over four years now, the national president and national treasurer had prevented the national auditor from carrying out an audit assessment of the union's account, all because they don't want their fraudulent acts to be exposed.

That the national president sidelined South East and South South trustees of the union out of all happenings in the union, calls for serious attention, Comrade Eluaka said.

Just because, I demanded for a refund of N7 Million, I spent on the legal battle between our state chapter and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), a legal battle, the national president personally approved that we should  embarked upon, hence, all these allegations are now springing up here and there.

We are law abiding citizens and quarry business owners, as such, we went to court, to have them interpret our union's constitution better for us.

On the state of his 13 state exco members, Comrade Eluaka note that because the union is a new one and had not started rolling in funds like that of the National Union Of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)/and that at this stage requires a lot of patience, commitment and sacrifices to build and strengthen the union, not all my state executives have such energy and for some because not much is flowing into the state chapter, when they are invited to meetings, some fall back to their businesses.

At any rate, whenever, we call for meetings, we still have enough state executives as to form quorum, Comrade Eluaka pointed out.

He also pointed out that he at no point given out sack letter to any state executive member as such the case of him losing touch and steady meeting with his executive members does not hold waters.

I am shocked that the national president is supporting non union members to cause trouble in Delta State chapter, especially, Mr Paul Mozie, who is a mere contractor, who does not owe any tipper nor quarry site, he had being harassing our tipper drivers collecting illegal fees from them, for which, we said no to, I see no reasons for the national president to support such person who is not fit and proper to become our union member in the first place.

I don't know why Paul Mozie does not want to respect court verdict, which mandated that the already conducted state chapter elections must not be cancelled, Comrade Eluaka queried.

Comrade Eluaka ceased this media chat opportunity to urge Paul Mozie and his co travellers to respect court verdict and allow peace reign supreme in the union's delta state chapter.

LGA Polls: How Ezenyili Kelvin Obi Casted His Vote

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

Today, Saturday, March 6th 2021, Deltans went to polls to elect their local government area council chairmen and ward councillors.

Oshimili South LGA had her own share of same experience, as the council chairmanship candidate of People's Democratic Party (PDP) Ezenyili Kelvin Obi casting his vote at his Oko Ward two pooling station.

One of the most outstanding features as he went to exercise his civic franchise, not only as a citizen and a candidate, was the nature and responses of electorates at the pooling station.

Upon his arrival at the pooling station, which was massively heralded by loud ovation from his ward's youth leaders, shouts of solidarity and acceptance from women leaders and countless showers of prayers and blessing from the elders's council made the day's exercise huge remarkable one.

Responding to a brief media chat from newsmen, he appreciated the happy and calm atmosphere, the ward youths made possible and stated that this is the most peaceful election in Nigeria so far.

I thank the youths for making this electoral process peaceful, with kind consideration of our political leaders, our youths are coming into power, Ezenyili Kelvin Obi noted.

He also appreciated his political leaders and the state governor, for creating an enabling environment for the state's electoral commission to conduct a peaceful, free and fair council polls.

I thank the electorates, security and media personnel, who contributed a lot towards making this process today peaceful, free and fair.

I am confident that at the end of the day, when election results are released and announced, that we will emerge victorious, Ezenyili Kelvin Obi emphasized.

He also pointed out that his electoral victory is a victory for Oshimili South youths and promised never to disappoint them and all major stakeholders in Oshimili South LGA.

Taking a brief tour round the pooling station, he met and enjoyed the solidarity, ovation, voice votes of acceptance, prayers and blessings from the ward's women leaders and elder's council members, who in their numbers, enduring the day's hot sun, waited patiently for their turn to cast their votes for their well beloved son, Ezenyili Kelvin Obi, to victoriously emerge as Oshimili South LGA council chairman.

To this kind gestures from the senior citizens, the chairmanship candidate, assured them that he is committed towards putting smiles on their faces upon his emergence as the council chairman of Oshimili South LGA Chairman

WAKE UP CALL!!!!

Ndi Ahaba Be Vigilant

Ahaba Can't Be A Battlefield Again


History has a pattern of repeating it self and that same old pattern is about to play out, but this time, we saw it earlier and we must mitigate and nip the bud where it rightly matters.

Since known and recorded histories and as treasured in the various archives of the old western states holds them sacrosanct and holy, one particular pattern keeps repeating itself.

The question seeking an answer is "why is it that each time Ndi Ahaba makes progress as a people and unveils their natural divinely and blessed leadership prowess within the old southern protectorate, old western region, old mid western states or within Delta state and Anioma Nation, our enemies, restlessly manipulate ways to introduce war from the backyard.

And if we can not but want to help out, we become the grand enemy and our land becomes battle field, our best before you say jack Robinson are all flushed away.

This had being an existing pattern.

At the wake of the Ekumeku war days as well as during the horrible days of Lord Lugard's imperial conquest to finish the Queen's assignment, Asaba had already had far more progressive social cultural plus, that even swept the feet of the sojourning missionaries and the imperial commercial reps alike.

At this same era, our Ahaba people's easy embrace of the western civilization was most wonderful and seamless that our Ahaba fore fathers took both the Christian Religion and western education to both the present south west, south south, south east and the whole of what you can call Northern Nigeria and they did that because they are naturally blessed.

Also about this era and time, Ahaba was at her best Economically, Social culturally and our political hold on politics was wonderful, to the point that it is recorded and our oral histories implanted it into our psyche, that at these era, one of the greatest warrior empire near us never defeated Ahaba, that is "Aya idue e li hu Ahaba" meaning the Binis never conquered us in any engaged battle.

But at these same era, we lost a lot, even at an era when we were at the zenith of our economical, social cultural and political greatness.

Our neighboring communities dealt wrongly in their day to day business with the imperialists and as Lords over them, the imperialists lashed some strokes, instead of learning their lessons and making required corrections, they began to plot against their Lords, their plots licked, the colonial masters tripled the lashes, when they could not bear it anymore that was when they remembered that there was a big brother some where and ran down to Ndi Ahaba for help.

You know what, listening to them, giving them counseling and some intelligence advice, was the beginning of our people's loss of the sweet relationships enjoyed from the colonial powers, but somehow we scaled through and continued till after the political marriage of the Southern and Northern protectorates.

From 1915 down to the era of the struggle for independence, Ndi Ahaba managed to sustain their strong hold on political, economical and social cultural stakes.

Again, shortly after the nation's independence was won, Ahaba again demonstrated her collective leadership and visionary positioning to lead as some Ndi Ahaba Political elites set in motion to bring about the best and transparent plebiscite ever recorded in Nigerian's political history, which was driven by our people's foresight of the economical endowment within the Mid western states, a fast move that the core Yoruba elites never were aware of then, even the Britons too, our fathers reached this Golan heights because their grip on social trends around them was near perfect.

Again within these period Ahaba was at its peak, politically, socially and economically, as our fortunes were scaling up, it was again a reason for massive hatred from our close door neighbors from the right and left sides.

The roles played at that time by both Major Nzeogwu and Col Ojukwu, one must reason and come to terms that their actions were completely ill adviced and 100% unnecessary, one because they started some mission they could not finish.

Ask me, who within that era suffered it the most, whose homeland became battlefield, who lost their best the most, who doesn't know that it was Ndi Ahaba, what we lost in Ahaba, was never lost at Nnewi nor at Okpanam, home lands of these two war time foundation moulders and engineers.

All done to reduce us and halt our naturally occurring progressive blessings, somehow too after the Nigerian civil war, Ahaba survived, started rebuilding from the scratch with only N20 refunded to our fathers as well as the many cases of abandoned properties and lost career, they came back to their former jobs only to see their gatemen, cooks, drivers Automatically made their boss, where did these folks within the space of thirty months and during war time gained all the expertise to become bosses over those who painstakingly built themselves and career, this was where everything in this nation started to collapse till date, but that is a gist for another essay.

Again, providence smiled at us, this time, we became Delta State's seat of power, everything was going on well for Ndi Ahaba, our landlords smiled broader, business owners in town thanked their stars they invested in Ahaba and our people prepared to receive the new military administrations, our people quickly forgot the losses of the civil war era and the military administrators had some good and swell time leading the young state from Ahaba, it was so good for the khaki boys then that one of their bosses, a sole administrator,  named on of his  new born baby "Ahaba Amaka" meaning Ahaba is beautiful, those were some wonderful days but soon we lost it all again.

This time, it was during the early days of civilian rule in the young state, this is how it all started, again other small neighboring towns around Asaba started with their crocodile tears and cries of being marginalized by other Deltans, and as it was getting clear to them that Ahaba is set to mind her business, only heaven knows from where under the sun, they coined out the info that the governor at that time said "Ahaba go be capital for mouth" this really set the warrior DNA in our people restless, together with some visible mistakes the then governor made before our elites that to some extent gave flesh to the well cooked and served rumour that "Ahaba go be capital for mouth" in pains and anguish, our people embarked upon their first fourth republic protest, a protest that consumed one of our finest young lad from a royal home, again and after that ill fated protest Ahaba lost everything within this fourth republic, name it or be it political, social and economic stronghold, we practically lost them all, since those days of protest.

Thanks to goodness, our case as a people recently got some revival and within the last couple of years it seems our fortune as a people is beginning to see the bright light at the end of a long tunnel, through the leadership of our town union, Ahaba is on the verge of reclaiming all our lost glories and we are grateful to our Lord that hope is certain.

But before, we sing hallelujah, we need to be more vigilant as history is about to be repeated, but our Lord forbid!!!!

We call upon all opinion shapers of our land to wake up and keep Virgil, hold more air tight security meeting and do all in their powers to see that the recent madness of Okpanam youths as well as its potential response from the Fulani's who they went to their camp for reasons best known to them, chased them away, burned up their homestead, that such madness does not spill over to our Ahaba nation.

We refuse to have Ahaba become nor see another war, our fathers had seen enough back stabs and betrayals in attempts to play the big brother roles, we the new generation are not and will never support any such roles, especially, from those who unwisely attract war and battle songs their ways.

We believe that Okpanam youths acted grossly in error and the fact that they video their engagement and shared same on Social media platforms kept us wondering, in whose interest are they about with these recordings.

The fact that they have a first class commissioner from their town beats our collective imagination as to why their brother can't be seen as a more and better rallying point towards addressing whatever was the gap between them and the Fulani's within their domains, than sparking off embers of war their might to sustain we doubt.

To this end, we call on them, especially their youth leaders to swing into action as to make peace with their tenants, as we at Asaba are not ready to entertain any spill over of their carelessness into Ahaba, we can't afford to have Ahaba in our time become another battlefield, please, go back to your drawing boards and seek out more progressive ways of handling your issues with your tenants as not to cause unnecessary spill over into Ahaba.

Thanks as we believe you will in the interest of peace and progressive co-existence find far better ways to live with your tenants as to have us enjoy better peace in Ahaba.

Thanks and regards

Yours truly

Comrade Okonta Emeka Okelum
Founder
Save Asaba Group (SAG)

Nigeria: Where Dreams Grow?

In 1997, a brilliant Igbo Electrical Engineer and Lecturer at the Federal polytechnic Nekede, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu designed and developed the Izuogu Z-600, the first African indigenous manufactured car.

The car was described by the BBC as ‘ the African dream machine as 90% of its parts were sourced locally. At a projected sales cost of 2000 dollars, it would have taken the world by storm and become the cheapest and most affordable car on earth. With mass production planned under Izogu Motors plant in Naze owerri, the prospects of an industrial revolution in Igbo land and Nigeria, was in the making.

The car was equipped with a self made 1.8L four cylinder engine that got 18mpg and allowed the car to achieve a top speed of 140 km/h. Front Wheel Drive (FWD) was chosen over Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) because a transmission tunnel, which RWD would require, would be more expensive to fabricate.

So 90% of the car’s components were made locally. General Sani Abacha set up a 12 man panel of inquiry made up of professionals to ascertain the road worthiness and authenticity of the car and after several days of probing, the committee gave Dr. Izuogu’s car a clean bill of health, recommending that some of the bumps on the body of the car be smoothened. It is worthy to note that this was five years before India built their first car known as the Indi.

At a well organized unveiling ceremony which had General Abacha represented by Oladipo Diya, over 20 foreign ambassadors and thousands of people in attendance, the federal government promised a grant of 235 million naira to Dr. Izuogu.

An excited Dr. Izuogu is still waiting for that grant till today. No dime was released to him. In 2006, the government of South Africa invited Dr. Izuogu to do a presentation about the car in the presence of several world class engineers. Being impressed with his presentation, they invited him to come and set up a plant in South Africa and begin the production of the car.

Dr. Izuogu reluctantly agreed, though he wasn’t happy that the benefits of employment generation will be lost on the locals of Naze and the Nigerian human resources environment. On Saturday, the 11th of March 2006, at about 2.00 a.m, a total of about 12 heavily armed men broke into Dr. Izogu’s factory in Naze and carted away various machines and tools including the design history notebook of Z-600, the design file Z-MASS, containing the design history for mass production of Z-600 car, and the moulds for various parts of the car.

According to Dr. Izuogu:

“It seems that the target of this robbery is to stop the efforts we are making to mass-produce the first ever locally made car in Africa. Other items stolen included locally produced timing wheel, locally produced camshaft, locally produced crankshaft, locally produced engine tappets, all 20 pieces each

Also stolen were ten pieces of locally produced Z-600 engine blocks, ten pieces of locally produced pistons, four pieces of engine block mounds, four pieces of top engine block moulds, ten pieces of engine fly wheel and two pieces each of rear car and front mudguard moulds.”The inventor regretted that not only did they lose over one N1 billion in monetary terms, but also time (about 10 years) and the energy it took to design and produce the moulds. “To worsen the matter, our design notebook was also stolen,” he stated.

He regarded the incident as a national economic disaster because the nation had lost a technological and intellectual property. This Press was quiet about this story. The set back and governments attitude frustrated Izuogu and his dream died.


Sad realities of the Nigerian contraption has served to reduce Dr.  Ezekiel Izuogu to join the hustle for political offices - recently participating in the botched efforts at gubernatorial primaries by APGA in Imo State

THE LAST STATEMENT OF KEN SARO WIWA AT THE MILITARY TRIBUNAL IN 1995

My lord, since my arrest on the 21st of May, 1994 I have been subjected to physical and mental torture, held incommunicado and denied food for weeks and medical attention for months. My seventy-four year old mother has been whipped and arrested, my
wife beaten and threatened with detention, the three telephone lines to my office and residence cut and the they remain cut to this day, my office and home have been ransacked on three different occasions and personal and family property, official files and documents taken away without documentation. I have been calumniated in the press and on satellite television before the whole world by a Rivers State government anxious to prejudice the mind of the public and to convince that public of my guilt even before trial. Only recently, before the United Nations Committee for the Eradication of Racism and Discrimination in Geneva, an official delegation of the Federal Government which included the Special Adviser on Legal Affairs to the Head of State, Professor Yazudu, declared me responsible for the murders which are the subject of this Tribunal, even before Tribunal has found against me or anyone else.

     The fact that a case of homicide is being charged before a Tribunal set up under Decree No. 2 of 1987 speaks for itself. I am aware of the many strictures laid against the decree and this Tribunal by local and international observers. All the same, I
have followed the proceedings here with keen and detailed interest, not only because I am charged before this Tribunal, but also because, as a writer, I am a custodian of the conscience of society. I regret that the legal counsel I freely chose, Gani Fawhimi, the human rights hero and pride of this country, was forced to withdraw. His withdrawal has denied credibility to this
trial.

     With the permission of the Tribunal, I would now like to make a filmic representation which will graphically demonstrate all that I have said here and amplify the details thereof.

     My lord, we all stand before history. I am a man of peace, of ideas. Appalled by the denigrating poverty of my people who live on a richly-endowed land, distressed by their political marginalization and economic strangulation, angered by the
devastation of their land, their ultimate heritage, anxious to preserve their right to life and to a decent living, and determined to usher to this country as a whole a fair and just democratic system which protects everyone and every ethnic group and gives us all a valid claim to human civilization, I have
devoted all my intellectual and material resources, my very life, to a cause in which I have total belief and from which I cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. I have no doubt at all about the ultimate success of my cause, no matter the trials and tribulations which I and those who believe with me may encounter
on our journey. Nor imprisonment nor death can stop our ultimate victory.

     I repeat that we all stand before history. I and my colleagues are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial and it is as well that it is represented by counsel said to be holding a watching brief. The company has, indeed, ducked this particular
trial, but its day will surely come and the lessons learnt here may prove useful to it for there is no doubt in my mind that the ecological war the company has waged in the delta will be called to question sooner than later and the crimes of that war duly punished. The crime of the company's dirty wars against the Ogoni people will also be punished.

     On trial also is the Nigerian nation, its present rulers and all those who assist them. Any nation which can do to the weak and disadvantaged what the Nigerian nation has done to the Ogoni, loses a claim to independence and to freedom from outside
influence. I am not one of those who shy away from protesting injustice and oppression, arguing that they are expected from a military regime. The military do not act alone. They are supported by a gaggle of politicians, lawyers, judges, academics and
businessmen, all of them hiding under the claim that they are only doing their duty, men and women too afraid to wash their pants of their urine. We all stand on trial, my lord, for by our actions we have denigrated our country and jeopardized the future of our children. As we subscribe to the sub-normal and accept double standards, as we lie and cheat openly, as we protect injustice and oppression, we empty our classrooms, degrade our hospitals, fill our stomachs with hunger and elect to make ourselves the slaves of those who subscribe to higher standards, pursue the truth, and honour justice, freedom and hard work.

     I predict that the scene here will be played and replayed by generations yet unborn. Some have already cast themselves in the role of villains, some are tragic victims, some still have a chance to redeem themselves. The choice is for each individual.

     I predict that a denouement of the riddle of the Niger delta will soon come. The agenda is being set at this trial. Whether the peaceful ways I have favoured will prevail depends on what the oppressor decides, what signals it sends out to the waiting
public.

     In my innocence of the false charges I face here, in my utter conviction, I call upon the Ogoni people, the peoples of the Niger delta, and the oppressed ethnic minorities of Nigeria to stand up now and fight fearlessly and peacefully for their rights. History is on their side, God is on their side. For the Holy Quran says in Sura 42, verse 41: "All those who fight, when oppressed incur no guilt, but Allah shall punish the oppressor." Come the day.

     Ken Saro-Wiwa
     Port Harcourt
     21st September, 1995.